The castle of indolence: an allegorical poem. Written in imitation of Spenser. By James Thomson. London: printed for A. Millar, over against Catherine-Street, in the Strand, MDCCXLVIII., 1748. [2],81,[3]p.; 4⁰.
(ESTC T20324;
Foxon T181;
OTA K029946.000)

THE CASTLE OF INDOLENCE: AN ALLEGORICAL POEM.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS Poem being writ in the Manner of Spenser, the obsolete Words, and a Simplicity of Diction in some of the Lines, which borders on the Ludicrous, were necessary to make the Imitation more perfect. And the Stile of that admirable Poet, as well as the Measure in which he wrote, are as it were appropriated by Custom to all Allegorical Poems writ in our Language; just as in French the Stile of Marot who lived under Francis I. has been used in Tales, and familiar Epistles, by the politest Writers of the Age of Louis XIV.

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EXPLANATION of the obsolete Words used in this POEM.

ARchimage — The chief, or greatest of Magicians or Enchanters.

Atween — between.

Bale — Sorrow, Trouble, Misfortune.

Benempt — named.

Blazon — Painting, Displaying.

Carol — to sing Songs of Joy.

Certes — certainly.

Eath — easy.

Eftsoons — immediately, often, afterwards.

Gear or Geer — Furniture, Equipage, Dress.

Glaive — Sword. (Fr.)

Han — have.

Hight — is named, called.

Idless — Idleness.

Imp — Child, or Offspring; from the Saxon Impan, to graft or plant.

Kest — for cast.

Lad — for led.

Lea — a Piece of Land, or Meadow.

Libbard — Leopard.

Lig — to lie.

Losel — a loose idle Fellow.

Louting — Bowing, Bending.

Mell — mingle.

Moe — more.

Moil — to labour.

Muchel or Mochel — much, great.

Nathless — nevertheless.

Ne — nor.

Needments — Necessaries.

Noursling — a Nurse, or what is nursed.

Noyance — Harm.

Perdie — (Fr. par Dieu) an old Oath.

Prick'd thro' the Forest — rode thro' the Forest.

Sear — dry, burnt-up.

Sheen — bright, shining.

Sicker — sure, surely.

Soot — Sweet, or sweetly.

Sooth — true, or Truth.

Stound — Misfortune, Pang.

Sweltry — Sultry, consuming with Heat.

Swink — to labour.

Transmew'd — transform'd.

Vild — vile.

Unkempt — (Lat. incomptus) unadorn'd.

Whilom — ere-while, formerly.

Wis, for Wist — to know, think, understand.

Ween — to think, be of Opinion.

Weet — to know; to weet, to wit.

Woonne — (a Noun) Dwelling.

N. B. The Letter Y is frequently placed at the Beginning of a Word, by Spenser, to lengthen it a Syllable.